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Sunday, March 8, 2009

First tickets issued for spring dance, VIP ticks next week

Selections for the greatest event in sports have begun with early invitations being sent out to conference winners that don’t have a tourney and the mid-majors that have completed theirs. Early attendees include:

Cornell………….Morehead St………E. Tenn St. …………..RadfordWith more to come each day until the commencement of ‘Selection Sunday’ on March 12, where the VIP passes to the top seeds will be announced. Last year’s “all for one” final four where all top seeds made it to the finals for the first time in history was the quintessential example of how important it is to stay close to home. In a year where we have seen the top spot changed hands almost more than any other it is even more important as parity in the NCAA becomes the norm rather than the exception. Looking ahead the schools that seemed poised to take down the 4 VIP tickets are;

Pittsburgh – Two wins over the top seed in one year and 28-3 in the toughest conference should only need to show up in the Big East tourney to claim their prize. North Carolina – After easily disposing of Duke to claim the ACC title, they too should just need to drive to the first round game, check in, without a car accident and notch a top seed in the South. Oklahoma – Squeaked out a win over Ok St. to close the season but a 26-3 record (one loss coming without the services of Blake Griffin) will fit nicely into the third number one spot but will need to win at least one game in the Big-12 Tournament. Uconn/Memphis – Uconn could have easily punched their ticket with a win over the afore mentioned Pitt Panthers but now must win a couple of games in the Big East Tournament to secure the last top gun position. On their heels are the Memphis Tigers who were supposed to be “rebounding” after their heartbreak finals loss last year but have impressively made a strong run. Unfortunately playing in a weaker conference hurts them this year and only a tourney win coupled with a Uconn stumble gets them the top seed. Just the same, how impressive have the Tigers been just to get back to where they were? Who are your top seeds? Let us know here and in the NCAA Tournament Chat rooms.

2 comments:

drewokc
said...

Very entertaining game. If I'm Capel, I'm worried that I don't have enough talent at guard going into the NCAA tournament. After all, the NCAA is all about guard play.

If I'm Ford, I have to be pleased that my team just went 20-10 without ONE legitimate big man. OSU has probably the best group of guards in the NCAA, and it's just a tragedy that they don't have a bigger guy than Marshall Moses to count on down low. Moses does a great job for what he's asked to do, and I'm not impressed at all that OU only beat the Cowboys by four with the best player in the country. They have awful chemistry and don;t have a true point guard. If they're lucky to get a #1 seed, they will be the first one out.

Knowing the tendencies and history of the selection committee, OSU is in the tournament already. Their seed is still TBD, but I don't want to play them simply because Anderson and company will light you up.

I think A&M will be in. That means the Big 12 will have six teams on my count: KU, OU, Mizzou, Texas, OSU, A&M. That's a good group of teams.

OU has been overrated all year, knew that ever since Louisville ran them out of the gym by 30 in the NCAA last year! Press them Travis, Mizzu beat them easily and they can't handle the press. I bet if they get down late in the game, Griffin will get another nose bleed and set out hoping the excuses work! What a joke that they are even considered for a #1 seed. Let's go OSU, love to see you make the tourney and a win hear locks you in if not in already.

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